Questions for any cyclists..

[matssundin13]

Those are both very nice bikes and with the addition of mudguards and so forth would be just great for round a town like sheffield, though personally I don't like sus forks on a the road. It just shows how much bike you can get for your money these days

 

Yeah, I was trying to avoid ones with suspension for millhouses, but quite a few bikes have it now a days...the 'in' thing i suppose.

 

Claud Butler are well built bikes and good quality too.

 

Then again, suspension for the pot holes may be good

[Squiggs]

Claud Butler are well built bikes and good quality too.

 

Like many old famous brands, CB are not necessarily all that they used to be. They do make some competent bikes but they are not, like the "old days" the jaw-dropping top name, inspiring jealousy amongst those who were proud of their Hercules.

 

As mentioned earlier, Ridgeback do some traditional step-through frames in competent models

 

Some ideas of varying styles and models here Edinburgh Bicycle - store opening soon in Sheffield

[plekhanov]

Like many old famous brands, CB are not necessarily all that they used to be. They do make some competent bikes but they are not, like the "old days" the jaw-dropping top name, inspiring jealousy amongst those who were proud of their Hercules.

 

As mentioned earlier, Ridgeback do some traditional step-through frames in competent models

 

Some ideas of varying styles and models here Edinburgh Bicycle - store opening soon in Sheffield

Ridgeback, Dawes, Claude Butler... at this price level and for this kind of bike I doubt it makes any real difference they'll tend to have very similar frames (quite possibly out of the same factory) fitted out with virtually identical components and they'll all be of decent quality. If you shop around you may get a better deal but chances are if you're sensible you'll get a good solid town bike for about £250 regardless of the brand.

 

The main thing is to go to a decent shop and get the correct kind of bike for use aroudn Sheffield (ie a hybrid with widely spaced gears and good brakes) not a single geared cruiser.

[I1L2T3]

If anybody tells you not to get a helmet ignore then. In London (Sydenham Hill) in 1991 my wife went over the bonnet of a car at 20mph and the helmet she was wearing saved her life.

[BasilRathbon]

If anybody tells you not to get a helmet ignore then. In London (Sydenham Hill) in 1991 my wife went over the bonnet of a car at 20mph and the helmet she was wearing saved her life.

 

Bad luck on your wife, but why does one isolated incident mean it’s right for you to tell all cyclists what to wear? The choice of whether to wear a helmet is up to the individual, not the state.

 

I too have come off my bike and hit my head on the road. I was knocked unconscious but apart from a slight dent in my skull there was no lasting damage. Would I wear a helmet? No, I simply learnt my lesson by being a lot more careful on my bike and 15 years on, I've not come off a bike since.

 

Not only that but the most popular cyclists' pressure group - the CTC - agree with me.

 

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4689

[BasilRathbon]

There’s an awful lot of snobbery and misinformation spouted about buying a bike for the first time on web forums. As one of the most experienced cyclists on this forum, I would offer two main points of advice for the novice who wants to give cycling a try;

 

1. All you need is a bike!

 

Contrary to advice elsewhere on this thread, all you need to go cycling is a bike!

You don’t need trendy lycra clothing or designer gear, panniers, expensive cycle shoes, lights or a helmet; all these things are down to personal choice.

My choice of cycling clothes is zip off trousers, a long sleeved T shirt (plus a thin fleece as an extra layer in winter) and a bog standard pair of trainers; total cost less than £20!

Obviously you need lights if you’re cycling in the dark, but if you’re just cycling for pleasure I would imagine you’ll be doing mainly day riding when it’s light.

The helmet-or-not debate has raged on several cycling threads over the years, but in my opinion you only need a helmet if you’re either a child or you intend to cycle recklessly.

 

 

2. Don’t buy new and certainly do not buy from a specialist cycle shop!

 

If you’re unsure whether cycling is for you it would be foolish to spend a few hundred quid for something you might use once and then stick in your shed and never ride again. In my opinion it’s much better to buy secondhand via local free ads papers or Ebay; not only will the bike be much cheaper but you can then use the money you’ve saved to make the adaptations you need to suit your own needs rather than the manufacturers. For example my main bike is a 25 year old Raleigh Equipe I picked up for £15 off a guy in Deepcar 8 years ago. Since then I’ve changed both wheels, the tyres, cables and brake levers, have still spent far less than I might have done on a new bike and I’ve probably done over 10,000 miles on it with only a few minor mishaps.

 

By all means visit a cycle shop for helpful advice, but bear in mind that a shop is a business not an information service, and their sole purpose is to extract as much money out of you as they can. But if you must do so, I’d recommend Langsett Cycles over JE James, as they’re much friendlier and unlike JE James the staff don’t sneer at you if you don’t know all the jargon and your bike isn’t trendy enough for them!

 

Incidentally, there’s a ladies bike for sale in the classifieds – might be worth a punt for £20 even if it’s just to try it out for a test ride?

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/classifieds/showproduct.php/product/59134/cat/7

[Tony]

Bad luck on your wife, but why does one isolated incident mean it’s right for you to tell all cyclists what to wear? The choice of whether to wear a helmet is up to the individual, not the state.

 

I too have come off my bike and hit my head on the road. I was knocked unconscious but apart from a slight dent in my skull there was no lasting damage. Would I wear a helmet? No, I simply learnt my lesson by being a lot more careful on my bike and 15 years on, I've not come off a bike since.

 

Not only that but the most popular cyclists' pressure group - the CTC - agree with me.

 

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4689

 

I really don't want to get into this here as I don't want to put off a new cyclist with a load of grizzly cods-wallop* from those who think we know best, but...

 

... I had an off just an hour ago.

 

It was a very silly slow speed one and mainly SPD/kerb edge related but it could have easily been more serious and I could have cracked my head on the cast iron bollard that I very narrowly missed.

 

I almost soiled my jeans laughing as I went down but it does demonstrate how easy it is even to somebody who should be a bit more competent than a beginner. Obviously I was wearing a helmet for just such an eventuality.

 

I couldn't ever suggest that somebody should not to wear a helmet with a clear conscience. By all means debate it like grown ups but it feels very irresponsible to negate safety to a new cyclist.

 

 

 

* maybe we should have a helmet thread. It's a good topic in itself.

[spindrift]

If you're after some awesome lights, I recomment Fantoms and Spokelits:

 

http://www.all-about-the-bike.co.uk/blt-fantom-xr9-high-power-led-front-light---free-delivery-3187-p.asp

 

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A0416

 

A mate has the "Disco" Spokelit, the colours change and because they're fixed to your spokes they afford brilliant sideways visibility at junctions and roundabouts.

 

Plus, get above around 21mph and the lights merge and become a colourful wheel of light and people are like, "Whoah!" and "Cool!!"

[millhouses24]

Great, thanks for all the opinions I have a bit of time before I get something so as much information as possible from experienced cyclists is awesome.

 

A few more questions -anyone please?

 

1. Carrying stuff - I might have a folder, a few books, a laptop, and some random bits of shopping at any one time. Where does it all go?

 

2. One of the reasons I'm trying to find an alternative to walking is that I'm a relatively new runner.

 

I suspect walking every day for a few miles is stopping me increasing my weekly distance as well as playing havoc with my ankles. So I'm really, really hoping that cycling is going to be more of a workout for my higher leg muscles and will let me get my running out of the rut it is in at the moment.

 

Any runners AND cyclists want to give an opinion? (other than TOUGHEN UP GIRL!)

 

PS Spindrift, LOVE those lights :love: I quite fancy pink lights on a black bicycle.

 

 

PSS Off topic - Basil I think I saw you in town a few weeks ago, was going to say hi but you looked in a big hurry so sorry to miss you

[Alcoblog]

Why not buy a bike with an 1130 cc Harley Davidson engine in it like a V-Rod? Very low seat height .... prob solved ! (added bonus - you don't have to pedal like a deranged lunatic!).... am I misunderstanding this post?